Anime has a massive global fan following, but not all anime is welcomed in every corner of the world. Here we will take a look at 10 popular anime that are controversial and banned in specific countries due to various reasons.
1. Shoujo Tsubaki - Almost Everywhere
It is an anime with a dark and depressing storyline. It also portrays child sexual abuse, which is very traumatizing. The very disturbing images in this anime have deeply affected viewers, causing some to be seriously upset. The film's tapes were even gotten rid of due to this. As a result, "Shoujo Tsubaki" has been banned almost everywhere, including in Japan.
2. Attack On Titan - China
Attack On Titan is a worldwide popular anime, but it was banned in China due to its violence and disturbing scenes. It was believed the scenes were disturbing for younger viewers. It was thought that this anime portrayed negativity through giant Titans. Despite its thrilling action and character development, the show remains unavailable in China due to its gruesome visuals.
3. Tokyo Ghoul - China And Russia
The Tokyo Ghoul anime was banned in China and Russia as it showed torture, cannibalism, and gore scenes. It was banned in China as it was worried that teenagers would start implanting needles and threads in their bodies, and in Russia, it was banned as it was believed it was not suitable for the brains of ordinary people.
4. Record Of Ragnarok - India
Record of Ragnarok was banned in India as one of the Hindu gods, Shiva, was present in an abrupt manner. It also shows some other Hindu deities and gods, like Indra and Durga. Hence, the Indian Government banned this anime for disrespecting gods.
5. Death Note - China
Death Note is a very popular anime that was banned in China because it is darkly themed. After Death Note, kids in China started making their own Death notes, writing the names of people they didn't like.
6. Pokemon - Saudi Arabia
Pokemon was entirely banned in Saudi Arabia for religious reasons. Pokemon shows the theme of gambling, which is banned in Saudi Arabia. It also symbolizes the Japanese Shinto religion and Christianity, which were too Zionist for them. Due to this, it was banned in Saudi Arabia.
7. High School DxD - New Zealand
High School DxD is a harem-themed anime. It shows explicit nudity, which is not considered good for young children. The anime series was banned in New Zealand due to its explicit content and frequent use of sexual content.
8. Hetalia Axis Powers - South Korea
Hetalia: Axis Powers was banned in South Korea as it showed characters from different countries in a funny but offensive way. Some South Koreans were upset because the character representing South Korea was shown as friends with Japan, and this was seen as disrespectful because of their history.
9. Kinnikuman - France
Kinnikuman was controversial in France because a character named Brocken Jr. wore a uniform associated with the Nazis, even though he didn't believe in their ideas. This made many people upset and uncomfortable, so the anime was banned in France.
10. Paranoia Agent - United States Of America
The anime Paranoia Agent is known for its dark themes. In Japan, it was considered too harsh by the government, so it was partially banned. In the US, it was banned due to restrictions related to suicide. It later returned with a censored version for broadcast.
